Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena has been elected as the new President of Bhubaneswar Club, one of the city’s most prestigious social institutions frequented by bureaucrats and businesspersons.
In a closely contested election held on Sunday, Jena defeated fellow former Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy by a narrow margin of 18 votes. A total of 1,774 members participated in the election, reflecting strong engagement from the club’s community.
Addressing reporters after his win, Jena reaffirmed his commitment to the club’s development.
“As we promised in our ‘Vote for Change’ campaign, transparency, accountability, and ethics in both administrative and financial affairs will be our guiding principles. Our first resolution, to be implemented as an executive order, will limit the tenure of the President and Secretary to a maximum of two terms. We intend to initiate transformative measures from all perspectives,” he stated.
Alongside Jena’s victory, other key positions were also filled through the election. Pragati Mohanty was elected as Vice President with a lead of 60 votes. Lalit Das secured the post of Secretary, defeating his rival by a margin of 76 votes. Sambit Mohanty emerged victorious as Joint Secretary with a winning margin of 68 votes.
The election saw enthusiastic participation and keen competition, underlining the significance of leadership roles in one of Bhubaneswar’s most influential social hubs.
